Locals to help carry Olympic Flame during historic Dublin relay

Clonard GFC under-16 player Ger Killeen is to take part in the Olympic Torch run today (Wednesday) across Dublin. Ger (15), who won a Rehab People of the year award in 2007, joins an illustrious list of sporting personalities and others who will take part in the torch run through Dublin. Olympics sponsor Coca-Cola nominated Ger to participate in the relay. Ger was rewarded by Rehab for his bravery, calmness and presence of mind when his father, Denis, was seriously injured and lost his arm in an accident on the family farm in May 2007. Last night (Tuesday), Navan Town Council held a civic reception for Tony Sutherland, father of the late Olympic medallist, boxer Darren, one of the 'Gold Standard' Olympic Torch bearers who will carry the Olympic flame through Dublin today. Bellewstown man Shane Horgan, the former Leinster and Ireland rugby player who retired recently, and the 1956 Olympic gold medallist, runner Ronnie Delany, whose family hails from Batterstown, are also among the carriers of the flame. The flame for July's London games was lit from the sun's rays at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece, and arrived in Ireland en route to London this week. The State will have the flame for six hours of its 70-day tour, which began in Cornwall. Each torch bearer will run for 300 metres before transferring the flame to another torch. President Michael D Higgins will meet torch-bearers in Howth. Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin will then take the torch on a skyline walk at Croke Park before beginning the first leg of the city relay at 9.30am. The flame will travel around the city centre, will cross the Liffey at Beckett Bridge and will cross the Grand Canal at Leeson St and Harold's Cross bridge. The relay will end at the bandstand on St Stephen's Green shortly before midday, where a commemorative Olympic cauldron will be lit at 11.50am. Taoiseach Enda Kenny would meet the torch at Government Buildings during its city tour.